Elderly care service consumption vouchers are heart-warming "consumption red envelopes" issued by the state to disabled elderly people - fiscal subsidies. When eligible elderly people purchase elderly care services at home, in communities, or in institutions, they can use the vouchers to offset the money in proportion to the quota. As of October 7, this subsidy project for the elderly with moderate or above disabilities has benefited more than 2.46 million people.
How to get consumer coupons and use them well? How to make everyone enjoy the inclusive policy? The reporter interviewed the relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Which elderly people can apply
Readers' concerns: My work location has been changed to Shanghai, and I want to take my father to take care of me. He is rated as moderately disabled in his hometown in Zhejiang. Where should I apply for elderly care service vouchers? Need to reassess?
The consumer vouchers are issued to the elderly who have been uniformly assessed as moderately, severely or completely disabled. Evaluating the grade and applying for consumer vouchers can be completed through the "Civil Affairs Tong" applet or mobile application. Elderly people can handle it themselves, and their children, relatives, village (community) staff, and staff of elderly care service institutions can also handle it on their behalf. Application depends on current actual place of residence. As long as the elderly have had their abilities evaluated after July 2024 and are deemed to have moderate or above disability levels by the provincial civil affairs department, they do not need to be re-evaluated.
It should be noted that the elderly who are currently receiving support assistance for the extremely poor, centralized care service subsidies for the economically disadvantaged and disabled elderly, or the services of action projects to improve home and community basic elderly care services, will not be included in the scope of consumption voucher issuance. For seniors who already enjoy long-term care insurance, after deducting relevant benefits, their self-paid expenses on qualifying elderly care services can still be deducted with coupons.
Which services are useful?
Readers' concern: My elderly family usually lives in a nursing home. He will need to be hospitalized next month and is planning to hire a caregiver. Can I use elderly care service vouchers?
First of all, a reminder: the consumption coupon is issued and used in the same month, and will automatically expire the following month.
The use of consumer vouchers covers door-to-door services, institutional elderly care services, day care services, etc. At present, home-based services include daily care services such as meal assistance and bathing assistance, basic care services such as rehabilitation assessment, and health management services. The specific service list can be found on the "Civil Affairs Service" elderly care service consumption subsidy project.
Whether the voucher can be used for deduction depends on whether the service institution is included in the official database of the elderly care service consumption subsidy project. Housekeeping, property management, and nursing companies that have signed contracts and are included in the database provide related services within the specified scope, and the fees can be deducted with coupons. Regular employment of nursing workers and caregivers through the warehousing agency also meets the conditions for use. Before using the coupon, you can check it through "Civil Affairs Link".
How to increase the number of institutions using consumer coupons
Readers’ concerns: There are not many institutions where I can use consumer vouchers. Will there be more in the future?
As of the end of June this year, there were 388,000 elderly care institutions and facilities in my country, including 350,000 community elderly care service institutions and facilities. The construction of the elderly care service system has achieved certain results. However, compared with demand, there is still room for improvement in the quantity and quality of service supply.
Currently, civil affairs departments at all levels are working hard to increase the supply of elderly care services by organizing and implementing subsidy projects, and encourage and guide more elderly care institutions and community elderly care service institutions with disability care capabilities to participate in subsidy projects. For example, Shanghai has optimized the warehousing process and accelerated fund payment to attract more institutions to participate; Shandong has issued policies for housekeeping and property companies, calling on all types of qualified business entities to actively participate in subsidy projects. At the same time, many places have guided high-quality elderly care institutions to sink into communities, open sites in areas with relatively weak supply, and increase door-to-door services.
Reporter: Wu Chuqi
